Chief Technology Officer / CTO

Overview

Build a better way to search: for users, for Europe, and for the planet.

Ecosia is building a credible alternative to Big Tech search: a mission-driven product that supports climate action with every search.

As our next Chief Technology Officer, you will help shape how millions of people experience search and browsing — at a moment when AI, assistants, and new interaction models are redefining user expectations.

This is a backfill role in a product-led company with a clear mission, an established user base, and exciting technical and strategic challenges ahead.

Your role

As CTO, you are a product-oriented technology leader: someone who thinks first in terms of user value and outcomes, and uses technology as the lever to deliver them.

Your opportunity to make an impact

• Own Ecosia’s technology vision and execution, ensuring our platforms evolve quickly to changing needs.
• Co-own product direction with Product and Design, ensuring technology supports efficient iteration and high-quality user experiences
• Establish and enhance a capable engineering leadership team, guiding and supporting a group of engineering managers while promoting clarity, focus, and accountability
• Translate product strategy into technical priorities, balancing speed, quality, cost, and long-term maintainability
• Promote innovation in search and browsing, including AI-assisted experiences, GPT-based interfaces, and emerging paradigms
• Make pragmatic technology decisions that respect Ecosia’s mission, financial constraints, and environmental impact
• Advance European digital sovereignty, deepening our partnership with Qwant and contributing to a more independent search ecosystem with our joint-venture European Search Perspective (EUSP).

Your areas of knowledge and expertise

• You gained experience as a CTO or senior technology leader in a product-led organization
• Your capability to lead through leaders, to drive transformation, and deliver outcomes in complex situations is evident
• You are tech curious and are comfortable challenging technical assumptions, asking the right questions, and staying close to key architectural decisions
• You successfully drove the adoption of AI-assisted development practices within your organizations
• You acknowledge diversity and understand the importance of creating an inclusive workplace
• You have a bias towards action and pragmatism, both in your own work and in your enablement of others.

The bigger picture

• You shape what millions of users experience every day, not just internal systems
• You work at the intersection of product, technology, and purpose
• You help define how AI and search can be done responsibly — outside Big Tech
• You contribute to a European technology ecosystem with long-term societal relevance

At Ecosia, we believe great products can drive real change. This role lets you prove it.

Process

• Talent Partner call (⏱️ 45')
• Leadership Interview (⏱️ 60')
• Technical conversation (⏱️ 1h15')
• Product call (⏱️ 60')

Why Ecosia?

What if your job made a real difference in the climate crisis? Join Ecosia and help plant millions of trees where people and ecosystems need them most.

• We are a diverse team, committed to equality, equity, and inclusion, with members from various backgrounds: sexual orientations, genders, ages, races, ethnicities, nationalities, physical and mental disabilities, family structures, and religions.
• We offer you the opportunity to balance work with other parts of your life: flexible working hours, 30 vacation days per year (based on a five-day workweek), designated Focus Times, and remote work options. (Note: Not applicable to freelance contracts; different labor laws may apply in other countries.)
• Our green benefits program - including subsidized public transport cards and bike inspection services - supports your sustainable living choices in Berlin. (Availability may vary by location; not applicable to freelance contracts.)
• We support your professional growth through learning times, hack days, online and physical libraries, and continuous feedback. (Not applicable to freelance contracts.)

Q&A

How many people work at Ecosia? 106 (Jan 2026): our departments include Engineering (incl. Platform and QA), Product (incl. Design), Trees, Operations (incl. Marketing, B2B & BI), and People.

Where is Ecosia based, and what kind of work setup do we have? We are a remote-friendly company with one office in Berlin-Wedding. People come to the office or work from home per their wishes and/or circumstances. Some roles require presence in the office at least from time to time. Company language: English. The Talent Partner will tell you more.